BJP names Tarun Chugh as observer for Legislature Party leader election in Manipur

In further indication of the restoration of an elected government in Manipur, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Parliamentary Board on Monday (February 2, 2026) appointed Tarun Chugh, national general secretary, as central observer for the election of the Legislature Party leader in Manipur.

Over the past two days, the BJP central leadership asked all its legislators as well as alliance partners from Manipur to be present in New Delhi for a crucial meeting. President’s Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13, 2025 following the resignation of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and the Assembly was placed under suspended animation.

On Tuesday (February 3, 2026), a meeting of all BJP MLAs has been scheduled at the party headquarters in New Delhi at 3 p.m., which will be preceded by a meeting with alliance partners — the National People’s Party (NPP) and Naga People’s Front (NPF) — at 2 p.m. at Manipur Bhavan in Delhi, sources said.

In addition, the Kuki-Zo insurgent groups in suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Manipur government are expected to meet Adviser (Northeast) A.K Mishra on Tuesday (February 3, 2026) in Delhi where the ground rules of the pact and the impending political developments are likely to be discussed.

On January 13, the Kuki-Zo civil society groups including the SoO groups resolved to agree to the prospects of a popular government in Manipur provided the Central and the State governments give a written commitment to support the negotiated political settlement for a Union Territory with legislature under the Constitution.

In a meeting held in Guwahati on January 13, attended by the United People’s Front and Kuki National Organisation (KNO), the Kuki-Zo insurgent groups, five Kuki-Zo MLAs and two representatives of the Kuki-Zo Council, a civil society group, it was resolved that the “commitment must be executed in a time-bound manner, specifically within the current Assembly tenure,” which ends in February 2027.

The SoO groups are likely to reiterate the community’s stand that the legislators should not join the government formation, leaving the final decision to the MLAs, sources said.

Late on Monday (February 2, 2026), Paolienlal Haokip, a Kuki-Zo MLA from Churachandpur, posted on X, “Without justice for the ethnic cleansing of our people, and sans a written commitment for political settlement, representatives of Kuki Zo people cannot be party to election of Legislative Party Leader in Manipur.”

The political activity marks the culmination of a series of security review meetings chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan on January 2 and January 5 respectively where the “pros and cons of restoration of an elected government were discussed”.

As reported by The Hindu on January 7, as there is no provision to extend President’s Rule beyond the one-year period without moving a constitution amendment Bill in the Parliament, the government is inclined to exercise all options to restore the government, bringing the Meitei, Kuki-Zo and the Naga legislators on the same table. On August 5, 2025, Parliament approved the extension of President’s Rule in Manipur for another six months till February 13.

There are 37 BJP MLAs in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, which includes seven Kuki-Zo legislators from the party. In all there are ten Kuki-Zo MLAs in the Assembly. Six MLAs are from the National People’s Party (NPP) and five are from the Naga People’s Front.